Middle-Ear Infection (Otitis Media)

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of a middle-ear infection are pain or decreased hearing. Inside the middle ear, three tiny bones (ossicles) normally send out vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear, where they are turned into nerve impulses that our brain understands as sound. In people with otitis media, however, inflammation and infection may change this normal process. Other symptoms can include fever, general body discomfort, rubbing or pulling of the ears in children, and vomiting and diarrhea in infants. Dizziness, loss of balance, and fluid draining from the ear are also possible.